


Priceless Gifts

by KyeAbove, Ohaymikoto



Series: The Reinforcement Of Agony AU [1]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Friendship/Love, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-18 16:11:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17584133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyeAbove/pseuds/KyeAbove, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ohaymikoto/pseuds/Ohaymikoto
Summary: January 6th, 1897. Cade Vale, New York. Agony:ConsumingStewart thinks he needs to get Bo a better gift.





	Priceless Gifts

**Author's Note:**

> This era of the series is always going to be sweet and tragic.

~January 6th, 1897~

* * *

It was a crisp day, and mostly unseen snowflakes drifted in the wind, but revealed themselves when they hit his face. Stewart rubbed his eye with a glove hand when such snowflake floated into his eye. It was such a minor annoyance though, and he wouldn't allow it to deter his cheerful mood. Today was a special day! It was Bo's 9th birthday and subsequently the first birthday ever Stewart would attend because he specifically was invited. He was excited, but also a little nervous.  
  
He walked slowly to the Anders' home, while carefully holding his gift to Bo in his arms. He'd gotten a good gift, he thought. The snow crouched under his boots loudly as he neared the house of one of his best friends. But then his cheerful mood was put a grinding halt when a snarky voice invaded his ears.  
  
"What in the blazes are ya carryin' there, kid?"  The boy looked around until his eyes landed on a familiar figure. A boy three years his senior and Bo's older brother, Sven Anders, who leered at him from his perch on a crooked fence post.  
  
"My gift to Bo."  His simple reply must've been found hilarious, since Sven guffawed like mad until he had to wipe away fake tears, and then he jumped off his perch to march towards the younger boy.  
  
"You can't give that to my little brother. That gift won't do."  Stewart cocked a brow at Sven's statement, thinking Bo would surely love what Stewart had found for him. Sven smirked down at him.  "Think for a second! You're rich! Surely you can get a much better gift in a matter of seconds."

Stewart frowned at this. He wasn't allowed much in form of any pocket money, and he'd already used what he had to get his current gift.

"But I-"  
  
Sven glared at him, and then poked him in the eye.  
  
"Just imagine how disappointed Bo would be if he got that from you! He'd breakup your friendship in seconds! After all...that's the only reason he's friends with you, isn't it? Because unlike us, you have money"  
  
This made poor Stewart panic, and he anxiously glanced down at his gift. Surely that couldn't be the only reason for Bo being friends with him? No! Bo was a kind boy who was friends with because he wanted to, not because of his money....right?   
  
"Good luck squirt, the party starts at 6 in the afternoon! Don't be late."  
  
Sven walked ahead of him with a another set of boisterous laughter, since he could tell his words had gotten to the younger boy. Stewart hurried back the way he came. He had to find a better gift! He couldn't lose one of two only friends he had. And if Bo stopped talking to him, maybe Lilly would too!  
  
What could be a better gift to Bo? A new set of clothes?  
  
Stewart perked up. That could work! Bo didn't have a big closet and he mostly wore hand me downs from his older brother, so a new set of clothes for just him would be great! However, his good idea was crushed when he remembered two things. Firstly he didn't know Bo's measurements for clothes, and secondly he had wasted all the pocket money he was allowed on the gift he couldn't give.  
  
"Maybe...if I ask mother and father they could lend me a little?" Stewart muttered to himself albeit with uncertainty. He already knew what his parents thought of his two friends due to their social standing, his mother though slightly kinder to their role in his life and his father furious, but...he had to try! With his resolve steeled, Stewart hurried back to his house.  
  
Stewart hid his old gift to Bo before he entered the house. Left with it too, with a heavy heart. He had found his mother doing embroidery by the fireplace and she had  told him to ask his father as usual. With a feeling of fear, Stewart had found his father reading a book in his study and despite his voice quivering he had asked  for more money with his head held high. A lot of yelling and a fist to the face later Stewart exited the study with a aching black eye and swollen cheek.  
  
Asking his parents hadn't worked, so that left him to find a gift that costs nothing.  
  
He ran around town until his lungs burned from the cold air and his arms ached from carrying his worthless gift to Bo. He didn't know what to get him and time was running out! He couldn't ask Lilly since she was most likely already at Bo's house. Maybe he could ask Granny Anders? She was kind to him.   
  
In a desperate final attempt , the small boy ran to his friend's grandmother's house and when he got there his legs felt numb from both the running and the snow around him. He stood panting like a tired dog. Glancing up at the sky to see if he still had enough time before it was pitch dark, his gaze went downward through Granny Anders tree and his wide gaze was directed to the bare branches of the snow covered tree.  
  
There was a nest...having a bird as a pet was quite luxury, right?  
  
So, the desperate boy put his worthless gift down by the foot of the tree and ignored his aching muscles for a strenuous climb up the tree. It was hard gaining a footing on the bark and climbing up was a very hard task, but Stewart's desperation fueled him to reach his desired branch. He could now see the bird. Stewart slowly shifted his body onto the branch and shakily reached out...  
  
_...he slipped._  
  
When his small body connected to the snowy ground below, he let out a pain filled wail. The breath in his entire body felt like it had been knocked out of him and his left arm throbbed painfully. It was hopeless, so he cried. His black eye hurt, his swollen cheek hurt, his left side hurt and his left arm hurt. He was going to lose his other best friend because he couldn't get a better gift.  
  
"Dear lord! Are you okay?" A unfamiliar voice made itself heard over his wails. A woman's voice filled with worry and concern. Stewart whimpered in response since he couldn't twist his body around so he could see her clearly.  
  
"Leah, go and see if Granny Anders is home." The woman asked a second person, sounded like a little girl who sniffled seemingly in response to seeing his pain. Her daughter perhaps? Leah must've gone to do as the woman asked since the sound of small footsteps hurried away from him.  
  
"I'm going to lift you now. Tell me if it hurts okay?" The woman said in a comforting voice. Stewart hummed weakly in response, and he felt warm hands gently lift him from the snow covered ground. He whimpered a little but mostly kept his mouth shut. At least he now could see what she looked like. A young woman, with chestnut brown hair and grey blue eyes. They looked a lot like Stewart's own. Maybe identical.   
  
The little girl, that he assumed was Leah, came back with Granny Anders. Leah looked very much like the woman and she too had grey blue eyes and chestnut brown hair. Stewart wondered if they were all distantly related, since Stewart had the same as them.  
  
"Margret, what has happened?" Granny Anders inquired in a worried tone. Margret showed Stewart to the older woman, and she immediately directed the small group back to her house. He saw over Margret's shoulder Leah pick up his worthless gift, and follow them with it in her arms.  
  
Granny Anders was horrified when she saw the entire state the young boy was in and immediately apply all the aid she could. Something cold to ease the swelling around his eye and cheek, and a sling for his broken arm.  
  
"Why in heaven's name where you climbing my tree?"  
  
Stewart hung his head in shame.  
  
"I needed to find a better birthday gift for Bo. He won't stay friends with me if I gave him that." The boy gestured to what Leah had sat down next to him. Granny Anders frowned at his reasoning.  
  
"Why would he stop being friends with you over a gift?" Granny Anders asked in confusion.  
  
"Because I'm rich so I should be able to get a much better gift for Bo, that's why he's my friend..." Stewart decided sadly and Granny Anders gave a look of disbelief in response.  
  
"Who gave you that idea?" She asked and crossed her arms with a raised brow, her gaze stern.  
  
"Sven..."  
  
Granny Anders rolled her eyes like she should've known her oldest grandchild would say something like that.  
  
"Well Sven doesn't know his brother very well in that case, since all of that is utter nonsense. If Bo truly was only friends with you because of your wealth, then he would've demanded you bring your wallet everywhere you three would go and play. But he doesn't do that, does he?"

Stewart shook his head. Granny Anders gave a soft smile after that, and patted the top of his head gently.  
  
"If you are scared of what he'll think about the gift you got him, then it's best you give it to him anyway. Everyone is so afraid of what others will think of them if they did this or that, so they eventually forget to live their life and learn from their mistakes. But I know you are willing to learn. So how about you and I head over there together?"  
  
Stewart mused over her piece of shared wisdom, then smiled and nodded his head softly. Granny Anders was pleased with this, and helped the young boy get his outerwear on again.  
  
They walked together after waving goodbye to Margret Wilson and her daughter Leah. He had not felt Margret's lingering gaze follow him as he walked.  
  
The pair eventually made it to Bo's home and Stewart's anxiety returned. He held his gift with only one arm, and he almost wished it'd fall from his grasp and break open, so he could not have to face his fear.  
  
"Granny! Stewart!"  The birthday boy himself was standing outside the front door in his winter coat, with Lilly next to him in her own winter wear. He had been waiting for them to arrive. Bo's bright smile at his grandmother and other best friend soon dropped when he saw the other boy's face when he stood in front of him.  "What happened!? Your eye..."

Bo gently grabbed his friend's face so he could see the damage more clearly and his frown deepened even more when he noticed the arm in the sling. Stewart averted his gaze and then pushed his gift into Bo's chest fully expecting to get a negative reaction. Instead Bo's eyes brightened and he then looked around to see if anyone who’d care was around, and finding none, placed a kiss on Stewart’s lips and then pulled away to further inspect his gift. He was grinning at it.  
  
"Wow! These are my favorite brand of pickles. Thanks Stewart, I love them."  Bo's happy smile returned when he held a jar of his favorite brand of pickled cucumbers. Lilly smiled as well, but was more focused on her other friend, who looked very shocked.  
  
"So...you will still be my friend?"

The question itself and Stewart's pure disbelief caused clear confusion in Bo.  
  
"Of course I will, why wouldn't I?"  
  
Stewart shut his mouth and didn't answer so Bo had to look to his grandmother for answers, which she gave. His confusion turned into exasperation when he heard what his older brother had told his friend. Sadly enough, it didn't shock him in the slightest.  
  
"Sven's just jealous that I got two great friends and he hasn't any. I wonder why. Stewart you could live on the street or in a ginormous castle  and I would still be friends with you. Your money doesn't matter to me, it's you that does." Bo explained very simply his reasoning and this brought a smile to his friend's face.  
  
"How did you get that hurt?" Lilly piped up softly and Bo nodded at her question. Stewart had to recount everything. Once he finished, Bo shook his head with a sad look on his face and he pulled his friend into a hug.  
  
"Please, don't do something like this again because of me and never ever go to your father because of me. I would not want you to get hurt by him because of me."  
  
Stewart returned the hug with his one uninjured arm and nodded wordlessly. They broke from the hug eventually and all four went inside the house to join in the celebration.

**Author's Note:**

> *Points to Sven* That's an asshole to keep an eye on. Especially in future stories. Bo of course told on his brother, and his parents forced him to apologize to Stewart. He had to do the dishes for a month after that.


End file.
